x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
We look out on the world, and we see it is very broken by sin. How can we respond? There are diverse ways, which actually have been lived out by various groups throughout the ages. You could withdraw from the world, with a small community of like-minded believers and try to form a new mini-society, uncorrupted by contact with the outside, your own little utopia. You could remain in the world as self-righteous folks, harsh judges and critics. You could just accept the world as it is, as a hardened cynic, an apathetic laxist, or even an enthusiastic joiner.
Share
catholic family life | family prayer | pray the rosary
Family Rosary Time Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Powerful Let’s be honest — praying the Rosary as a family sounds beautiful in theory, but in practice? It can feel like a holy circus. The toddler’s chewing on beads, the kindergartener’s whispering “Is it almost done?” after the first decade, and your teen looking half asleep. Sound familiar? Here’s the good news: family prayer doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful.
Share
Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
The closer we come towards the end of the liturgical year, the readings tend to bend towards eschatological themes of Kingdom and judgment. They alert us of the need for preparation, introspection, and continuous personal renewal. In today’s Gospel, the themes of judgment and kingdom still appear. The untrustworthy steward is faced with the dilemma of life. He needs to act very fast and cautiously so that his actions do not put him in more danger. He has been with his master for quite some time, but he has not been doing well in his accountability. His work has reached a dead end. And he asks a question, what shall I do? He's preparing for his descent and how society will receive him. It seems that his relationship was not good with both the master and the rest of the people under him.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
This chapter from Saint Luke’s Gospel is perhaps one of the most well-known and beloved in all of Scripture. Here, in response to the Pharisees’ judgment of Jesus for welcoming sinners, our Lord tells three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (better known as the prodigal son). We hear only the first two of these parables, because the Church’s cycle of readings saves the greatest and the longest, the prodigal son, for the season of Lent.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
When climbers set out to conquer a great mountain, say, Everest or Kilimanjaro, they begin with backpacks overflowing. Food for every possibility, extra clothes, comforts from home, maybe even a favorite book. But the higher they climb, the heavier every ounce feels. Oxygen thins. Steps slow. At the base, you own your things; halfway up, they own you. So at every camp, they leave something behind: a pan, a sweater, a photo. The mountain strips them down to the essentials. Because the only way to reach the summit is to travel light.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Jesus uses daily life images to put across an important teaching about the nature of our calling as believers. The image of a banquet is something that we are all familiar with. We have been engaged in arranging and inviting people to attend ceremonies of various kinds. And by sending out the invitations early, we hope that people will rework their schedules and honor the invitation with their attendance. It is embarrassing if people don’t show up and food has already been prepared.
Share
